Translation of the Chofetz Chaim's Sefer Shmiras HaLashon. This site is dedicated to the improvement of the speech of members of Bnei Yisrael. To help avoid all sorts of troubles, learn Shmiras HaLashon - "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards from troubles of his soul." (Mishlei: 21; 23)

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Shmiras HaLashon י"ג אדר - Adar 13 - One-Hundred-and-Sixty-Second Day

[In addition to being pardoned for sins and severe punishments due to one’s involvement in Torah study], The Torah also saves [the person] from all sorts of harm, [both] in this world and in The World to Come, as is [taught] in “Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu Zuta”, chapter 17, [as follows][1]: “The Torah protects the person [during] all of those years that he is lying in the dirt, as it says [in “Mishlei”, as follows]: “When you are walking, it shall lead you…[2]” – in this world, “…and while you are lying down, it shall guard over you…” – this [refers to] the time of death, [when one is] in the grave, “…and upon your arousal it is your speech” – this [refers to life in] The World to Come[3]. (Mishlei: 6; 22) An explanation of [this] matter is implicit from that which is brought in The Holy “Zohar” (volume 1; 75b), [as follows][4]: “When you are lying in the grave, The Torah will protect you from the judgment of this world. “…and upon your arousal, it is your speech.” – for The World to Come, once [the person] will awaken after death, then [The Torah] will be [their] speech – it shall [serve] as an advocate for your body, in order that these [righteous individuals] will be the first to arise for eternal life, as it says, “…these [will arise] for eternal life…”[5] (Daniel: 12; 2), [this being the case] because they involved themselves in eternal life, that being The Torah. All of those words [of] Torah [study] that [the person] emitted from [his mouth, with] which he had been involved himself [in studying them] in this world, stand before The Holy One, Blessed is He, and [those words] make themselves heard and do not subside.

[Furthermore, concerning the benefits of involvement in Torah study, we learn in “Pirkei] Avos”, [as follows]: “[Regarding] all of those who accept the Yoke of Torah upon [themselves, the yoke of the government] and the yoke of earning a livelihood are removed from [them]…”[6] (Pirkei Avos: Chapter 3; Mishna 5) [You should] know that based on [the wording of that which was stated in “Pirkei Avos”, as follows]: “[One] who accepts the Yoke of Torah upon himself”, [rather than the] general [statement of] “All of those who learn Torah”, [it is clear that the above teaching applies] specifically [in the case where] one accepts The Yoke of Torah upon himself, not to weaken [himself] from [his involvement in Torah study] under any circumstances, similar to an ox which has a yoke placed upon him. [The above teaching follows] that which is written [in maseches “Avodah Zarah” (5b), as follows]: “It was taught in The Academy of Eliyahu: ‘A person should always place himself upon the words of Torah like an ox for his yoke and as a donkey for his burden.’[7] [If someone behaves in such a manner], then even if the yoke of government and the yoke of earning a livelihood had been upon him, [then] they are removed from him. How much more so [is it true that] The Holy One, Blessed is He, causes it to be that these yokes are not [placed] upon him [in the future].” [Based on] this [teaching from maseches “Avodah Zarah”], a number of difficulties [concerning the teaching from “Pirkei Avos”], are dispelled.

[1]The beginning of this teaching from “Eliyahu Zuta”, prior to the section included in the text of sefer “Shmiras HaLashon”, states as follows:

“Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, ‘All of those who trouble themselves in this world and involve themselves in Torah [study] during the night, The Holy One, Blessed is He, draws upon him a string of kindness during the day, as it says [in “Tehillim”], “During the daytime, HaShem shall command His Kindness, and during the night His song is with me…” (42; 9), and…”

[2] The entire pasuk from sefer “Mishlei”, in reference to Torah study, states, “When you walk, it shall lead you, when you lie down, it shall guard over you, and when you awaken, it shall be your speech”. (Mishlei: 6; 22)

[3] Alternatively, according to RaSh”I, The Torah that one has studied is the person’s speech at the time of T’chiyas HaMeisim (The Resurrection of The Dead). Clearly, both of the above are true, that being that the person speaks the words of Torah that he has studied in this world, both in The World to Come and at the time of T’chiyas HaMeisim.

[4] The text of this section of The “Zohar”, states as follows:

“Rabbi Yehuda opened [his teaching] and said, ‘…For the paths of HaShem are upright…” (Hoshea: 14; 10) All of the paths of The Holy One, Blessed is He, they are all upright and [are] paths of truth, and the people of the world do not know and do not pay attention [concerning] that which their existence [is dependent upon]. Concerning this, [the pasuk from “Hoshea” states], “…and the righteous shall walk in them…”, for they are aware of the paths of The Holy One, Blessed is He, and are involved in Torah [study], for everyone who is involved in Torah [study], he knows [of the paths of HaShem] and walks in them for he doesn’t stray to the right or to the left. [The end of the pasuk states], “…and willful sinners stumble in them”, these [refer to] those people who are liable [for punishment], for they are not involved in Torah [study] and do not contemplate the paths of The Holy One, Blessed is He, and they do not know where the paths lead to, and since they do not know how to look [at The Torah] and are not involved in Torah [study], they [then] stumble in these paths of [HaShem, both] in this world and in The World to Come. Come and see, [concerning] every person who involves himself in Torah [study], when he departs this world, his n’shamah (soul) ascends to these paths and pathways of Torah and they are familiar with these paths and pathways of The Torah. [Concerning] those who are familiar with the paths of The Torah in this world, [they] will walk in them in [The World to Come] when they depart this world. [However], if they had not involved themselves in Torah [study] in this world and are not familiar with its paths and pathways, once they depart this world, they will not how to walk in these paths and pathways and will stumble in them, as such, they will walk in other paths which are not the paths of The Torah and they will arouse a number of judgments and will be punished [on account of them].

[What is written concerning] one who is involved in Torah [study]? “…when you lie down, it shall guard over you and when you awaken it shall be your speech.” (Mishlei: 6; 22), when you lie down in the grave, The Torah shall protect over you from the judgment of [The World to Come], and when you awaken, when The Holy One, Blessed is He, will arouse the spirits and the souls to resurrect the dead, then [the Torah that you have studied] shall be your speech, it shall be your defense for your body, so that those who have involved themselves in Torah [study] as is appropriate, will be the first to rise up for eternal life, as [is] said [in sefer “Daniel”], “And many of those who have been sleeping in the dirt of The Earth, shall awaken, these for eternal life…” (12; 2), these being those [people] who had involved themselves in eternal life, that being The Torah. Come and see [that] all of those who had involved themselves in Torah [study], that body will exist and The Torah will protect [the body]. What is the reason for this? For at [the] moment [of T’chiyas HaMeisim], The Holy One, Blessed is He, will arouse the wind that are composed of [the winds] from all four directions, and that wind that is composed of [winds] from all four directions, will be made available to all of those who involved themselves in Torah [study], to bring them to life with those winds, so that they will live forever. If you will say [in challenge to the above] that it is written [in sefer “Yechezkel”], “…the wind comes from the four directions…” (37; 9), (i.e. at the time when some the descendants of Ephraim had been resurrected), why did they not exist [forever], for they died as was [the case] originally. Come and [take note] that at that time that The Holy One, Blessed is He, brought the dead to life by way of Yechezkel, that wind, though it was from the four directions, it did not descend to keep them in existence [for eternity], rather [it occurred] to demonstrate that The Holy One, Blessed is He, is prepared to bring the dead to life in that manner and to keep them in existence with the wind that is composed [of these four winds], in such a manner. Even though [these people] returned to being bones at that time, as they had been, The Holy One, Blessed is He, wanted to show the entire world that He is prepared to bring the dead to life. (It is [with] this wind that [HaShem] is prepared to cause it to rest in the righteous. What is the meaning of that which is written, “…the wind comes from the four directions…”? [This refers to] the wind that is composed of [wind from the] four [directions].) [HaShem will bring this wind of T’chiyas HaMeisim], because The Holy One, Blessed is He, is prepared to [bring the righteous to a state of] complete existence in the world, as is fitting.

[Concerning] those who had involved themselves in Torah [study] in this world, [that Torah study] rests upon the person, and acts in defense of him before The Holy One, Blessed is He. Rabbi Shimon said, ‘All of those words of Torah and all of that Torah [that the person has studied], stand before The Holy One, Blessed is He, and speak before Him, and it raises its voices and does not subside. At that moment, [The Torah that one has learned] speaks and says, ‘In accordance with [the degree to which] the person clung to and involved himself [in Torah study] in this world, and [it is] due to this, these [people] will rise up [to live] a complete existence, for eternal life, as has been said [earlier in this teaching], and because of this, “…for The Paths of HaShem are upright, and the righteous shall walk in them, and the willful sinners shall stumble in them”. (Hoshea: 14; 10)”

[5] The entire pasuk from sefer “Daniel”, states, “And many of those who are sleeping in dirt of The Earth will awaken, these [will awaken] for eternal life, and these for shame, for eternal disgrace”. (12; 2)

Metzudas David explains that the righteous will be resurrected to receive their reward of eternal life, while the evildoers will be resurrected to receive their punishments. Ibn Ezra quotes a source who explains that those who will live an eternal life will be aroused at the time of T’chiyas HaMeisim, while those who will not be aroused are those evildoers who will suffer disgrace in gehinnom. “The many” who will awaken during T’chiyas HaMeisim, refer to the minority of the people. Ibn Ezra explains that the righteous who had died during the galus (exile) will be aroused in T’chiyas HaMeisim at the time of The G’ulah (Redemption) when The Mashiach (Messiah) arrives, and after enjoying different aspects of The G’ulah, will subsequently die and be Resurrected a second time in The World to Come.

[6] The entire mishna states as follows:

“Rabbi Nichunyah, the son of HaKanah, says, ‘[Concerning] all of those who accept The Yoke of Torah upon themselves, the yoke of the government and the yoke of derech eretz (lit. The way of the land – i.e. mundane obligations) are removed from him, and [concerning] all of those who remove The Yoke of Torah from upon himself, the yoke of government and the yoke of derech eretz are placed upon him.”

RaMBa”M explains that one who constantly involves himself in reading Torah does not have the yoke of being busied by mundane obligations remain upon him. However, the person who removes The Yoke of Torah from upon themself by saying that The Torah is not from The HaShem, and that he can’t bear its burden, will have the burden of the government and other mundane obligations placed upon him. This follows that which it says in maseches “Eruvin”, “חרות על הלחת” – “engraved upon the tablets” (Shmos: 32; 16), which can also be written as “חרות על הלחת” – “freedom upon the tablets”, for due to The Torah study that one is involved in, they will be freed of these aforementioned obligations.

Rabbeinu Yonah explains that once the person makes their Torah study their main focus and treats their occupation as secondary, The Holy One, Blessed is He, will then guard that person from all evil, and will guard his soul, so that he won’t have to be idle from his Torah study, both in terms of his service to the government and as it relates to his occupation. The above will occur because HaShem will make sure that the government won’t focus on him to require him to do anyting in their service that will detract from his time spent on Torah study. He will also be blessed to not need to invest himself to a great extent in his occupation in order to adequately sustain himself and provide for his livelihood. Instead, this person who makes his involvement in Torah study his main focus and a regular, established part of his day, will earn a sufficient amount of money to sustain himself from a minimal amount of involvement in his occupation, for the work of the righteous person is blessed, and he is happy with his portion. In contrast, the person who decides to set aside the work that he invests in his Torah study, in order to “avail” himself so as to invest a great deal in his occupation, then HaShem negates his plans, and puts into the heart of the leader to use this person to act in his service, as it says in “Mishlei”, “For the heart of the king are rivulets of water in The Hand of HaShem, He shall turn it in any way He chooses”. (21; 1) In terms of his livelihood, such a person who has “removed The Yoke of Torah” from upon himself, will consequently have to wander in search of his sustenance and will not be able to find it. Even if that person will have the wherewithal to sustain himself, he will not be happy with his portion, and will waste away his life wearying himself to become wealthy and then to continuously add on to that wealth, as it says in “Koheles”, “One who loves money will not be satisfied with money…” (5; 9). This person’s entire life will be painful and will experience much toil and weariness, never experiencing rest.

[7] This teaching is brought in “Eliyahu Zuta” (Parsha א, beginning with the words “משום דבי אליהו”) is the same as the teaching brought in maseches “Avodah Zarah”, but is greater in length. The teaching from “Eliyahu Zuta”, states as follows:

“They said in the name of The Academy of Eliyahu HaNavi, [as follows]: ‘[The] person should always be as an ox for a yoke and as a donkey for a burden, like cattle that ploughs in the valley. [In] such a manner the person should involve himself in [studying] words of Torah, as it says, “Praiseworthy are you who plant on all waters…” (Yishayahu: 32; 20) Praisworthy are [The B’nei] Yisrael, [for] at the time that they are involved in Torah [study] and acts of kindness, their Yetzer [HaRa] (evil inclination) is [delivered] over into their hands, and they are not [delivered] into the hands of their Yetzer [HaRa]. “Planting” [that is referred to in sefer “Yishayahu”], only refers to righteousness, as it says, “Plant righteousness for yourselves…” (Hoshea: 10; 12), and “water” only refers to Torah, as it says, “Woe, all of those who are thirsty, go to water…” (Yishayahu: 55; 1) Once the person has read Torah, N’vi’im (Prophets), and K’suvim (Writings), has learned halachos, has learned mishna, has learned aggados (non-halachic Talmudic teachings), has learned Talmud, has learned pilpul (sharp analysis of the gemara), [then] immediately, Ruach HaKodesh (The Spirit of Holiness) descends upon him, as it says, “The Spirit of HaShem has spoken within me, and His Word is on my tongue.” (Shmuel II: 23; 2)’”